Ensure fund for rare diseases, Centre told

Taking up the cudgel on behalf of the patients diagnosed with ultra-rare genetic conditions such as Lysosomal Storage Disorders, 24 Parliamentarians from across party lines have urged the Centre to ensure a sustainable fund to manage certain diseases under the National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021.

This unending delay on the part of the Centres of Excellence (CoEs) has caused serious concern and anxiety to the patients and their families. Most of these patients are diagnosed with life-threatening rare genetic conditions, including Lysosomal Storage Disorders like Gaucher disease, Pompe disease.

49% of construction workers women: Study

With almost half the construction in India occupied by Women workers, six of such Kolkata-based women said their work acts as a source of Empowerment, enabling financial independence and aspacefor fostering camaraderie. They were speaking at a Womens Day function at a construction site of a residential housing complex.

After Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, construction is the second largest industry in India, contributing significantly to the economy. Although perceived as a male-dominated industry, a recent ministry of labour and EMPLOYMENT data shows that 49% of construction workers are women. While there is no sexual segregation of labour, women workers feel a sense of comfort and camaraderie working alongside other women.

Reliance Jio second-strongest telecom brand in world, says report

Reliance Jio has climbed up to number two rank up from fifth place last year in a list of the top 10 strongest telecom brands in the world. In this post we will explore the Top 150 most valuable and strongest telecoms operator brands according to Brand Finance 2023 rankings

Brand Finance have developed a comprehensive evaluation process to not only assess the value of brands, but also ascertain their relative strength. Utilizing best-practice ISO 20671 guidelines and up-to-date research collated from an expansive survey spanning 38 countries and 31 sectors with over 150,000 respondents Brand Finance provide crucial insights for businesses looking to make informed decisions about brand performance.

World Wildlife Day 2023

March 3 is known as World Wildlife Day (WWD), marked annually to draw attention to issues of conservation of and Fauna.

In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed March 3 as the UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of protecting the worlds wild animals and Plants. This was as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed in 1973 on this day.

March 3 marks the 50th anniversary of CITES establishment. CITES is considered a landmark agreement on conservation that focuses on ensuring the sustainability of endangered species.

UK grappling with vegetable shortages

Unusually cold temperatures in Spain and heavy rain and flooding in Morocco two of the biggest tomato suppliers to the UK have led to poor yields and are cited as the primary cause of the shortage.

In Spain, farmers blame recent freezing temperatures following record heat and dry conditions last year. Heat and drought in Europe last year also are affecting vegetable harvests in other countries, including Germany.

The shortages in Britain and contrasting pictures of full vegetable shelves in supermarkets in mainland Europe led to a degree of Brexit schadenfreude in some EU news outlets. Experts say extra Bureaucracy and costs associated with Brexit have played a part, though they Stress its not a main factor.

Farmers also have complained about the lack of government in the sector and funding to help them cope with painfully high energy bills.

Swadesh Darshan Awards

The Awards will be given to recognize best practices like innovative approach, achievement of planned objectives, the adoption of sustainability principles in design, planning, and operations, ability to attract private investments in peripheral development, efficient project monitoring, and efforts undertaken to ensure optimal operations and maintenance, etc.

The government has approved 76 projects worth over Rs 5500 crore across 31 Indian states and union territories under this scheme. At more than 500 tourist destinations, tourism-related has been developed.

It has been decided by the Ministry to invite entries under various categories such as Best Log Hut Facility, Best Tourist Interpretation Centre, Best Cafeteria, Best MICE Facility, Best Sound and Light Show, Best Craft Haat/ Souvenir Shop facility, and Best Waterfront Development (Beach/ River/ Lake, etc.).

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Parshottam Rupala outlined that the Sagar Parikrama initiative will be aimed at understanding challenges, experiences and aspirations of fishermen community, look at the scope of seafood exports, as well as to popularise schemes that the fishing community in coastal areas can avail of.

The department of fisheries of the Ministry of Fisheries, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRY and National Fisheries Development Board along with Gujarat governments department of fisheries, INDIAN COAST GUARD, Fishery Survey of India, Gujarat Maritime Board and fishermen representatives will be organising Sagar Parikrama, with the voyage being flagged off from Mandvi on March 5 and concluding at Porbandar on March 6, via Okha in Devbhoomi Dwarka.

While the programme is planned to be held in states that have a coastline, Gujarat will mark the first state as part of this initiative.

Naval exercise MILAN concludes in Visakhapatnam

Indian Navys largest multilateral exercise Milan 2022, which saw the participation of over 40 countries, ended on Friday. The sea phase of the 11th edition saw the participation of 26 ships, one submarine and 21 aircraft.

The sea phase commenced with a series of exercises to enhance the interoperability amongst the participating navies.

The exercise, held amid tensions between the West and Russia and the crisis in Ukraine, saw the warships of the Quad countries; France; Myanmar; South Korea and Vietnam and among others practice completing drills. Russia, Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia among others are participating in the exercise without ships.

Digital transactions earned dividends for the nation

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Prahlad Joshi has said that with more people adapting digital transactions, a saving of 1.75 lakh crore had been possible and the menace of middlemen had also been checked.

The country had performed over 20 lakh crore digital transactions, which was 60% more than the digital transaction of China. He said that with the introduction of Jan Dhan accounts, 45 crore zero balance new bank accounts were opened and in these zero balance accounts, there were deposits to the tune of 1.65 lakh crore in the last seven years.

India-ITU Host Country Agreement (HCA)

HCA was signed in a virtual ceremony during the World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly-20 (WTSA-20) being held in Geneva, Switzerland.

HCA provides the legal and financial framework for the establishment and operations of the Area Office and innovation center of ITU in New Delhi, India.

ITU is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for information and Communication technologies (ICTs).

India has taken many initiatives to develop telecom standards. ITU recognized 5Gi standards developed in India.

Pakistan remains on FATFs grey list: Report

The global laundering and terrorist financing watchdog FATF has retained Pakistan on its terrorism financing grey list and asked Islamabad to address at the earliest the remaining deficiencies in its financial system, according to a media report.

Pakistan has been on the grey list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) since June 2018 for failing to check money laundering, leading to terror financing, and was given a plan of action to complete it by October 2019.